Fine Art Views Daily Newsletter
ISSUE #201 - (Sponsored by FineArtStudioOnline)
Straight Talk about Art, Marketing, Inspiration and Fine Living
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Clint's Must-Read
Articles for Artists
April 20-26
by Clint Watson
TODAY:
Here are some great articles we've found on the internet over the past week that are directly applicable to helping you with art, marketing, inspiration and fine living . . .
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Monday, April 28, 2008
San Antonio, Texas
Latest Ruminations from Clint's Blog
-- Highly Recommended --
Make Sure Your Website Doesn't
Drive Art Collectors Away!
11 Essential Elements of Every Artist Website
The Artist's Guide to Creating a Website that Really Works
by Clint Watson
This e-book will tell you (or your web designer) exactly what to do to make sure when art collectors visit your art website that they enjoy the experience...instead of leaving annoyed.
Your website is you "home base"…your "hub." - where you and your collectors "meet" online.
You need to make sure that your website includes certain information and features that art collectors have come to expect.
I've been marketing art since 1989 and have managed various online art marketing sites since 1996 . . . I've learned what works, what doesn’t and what art buyers expect. This e-book represents a compilation of the most important elements and best practices that should be included on every artist’s website.
In this 39 page e-book that every artist must read, you'll learn:
1. What art collectors expect from an artist website
2. Why you need to avoid Flash
3. How to set up your website for maximum success
4. How to avoid annoying your and driving awaysite visitors
5. The best way to write your artist biography page
6. How to design your site properly for search engines
7. Much, much more!
If you're working with a web developer, no problem! The e-book also includes a checklist for web developers that you can simply hand your web guru and say, "make sure my site has everything on this list."
Listen to what one artist recently told me about our marketing advice:
"We have always tried to incorporate your ideas about adding substantive content on our web site and blog. Recently we sold a $3,000 painting because we had followed your advice. . . Thanks for your helpful marketing advice."
- Artist, Tommy Thompson
Get Your copy of 11 Essential Elements of Every Artist's Website:
http://fineartviews.com/resources/elements
Today's Sponsor:
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Clint's Must-Read Articles for Artists
April 20-26
by Clint Watson
Dear {{FirstName}},
Here are some great articles we've found on the internet over the past week that are directly applicable to helping you with art, marketing, inspiration and fine living:
Dick Harrison's 10 Commandments for Selling What You Create:
1. YOU CAN’T SELL IT IF YOU DON’T SHOW IT
2. The most effective way to show and sell your art is almost always in person with the art in hand. If you show and sell your own work, you deserve 100% of the profit. If you ask others to help you sell your art, they must be fairly compensated for their knowledge, time, effort and expenses.
(Read Original >>)
Seth Reminds us to ask ourselves if we're getting BETTER:
Are you better at what you do than you were a month or two ago?
A lot better?
How did you get better? What did you read or try? Did you fail at something and learn from it?
(Read Original >>)
43 Folders explains marketing via email and the .001 Challenge:
Imagine that the person receiving the email you’re composing receives 1,000 other message each day more or less identical to yours. What would you do to distinguish yours from the others? What change would make your email amazingly easy to deal with and not insane? Does the content of your email belong someplace else?
(Read Original >>)
Lisa Calls helps artists answer the question, "When are you ready?"
You are ready to start marketing your artwork when you are ready to take that bold step and put yourself out there. It’s a big leap as it comes with many risks but also many rewards.
Sure, five years from now you might look back and think "Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I tried to sell that junk." But that’s the future. What matters is right now, today, this moment. How do you feel about your artwork? Are you happy with it? Do you think it is good? Do you want to market it? Great - go for it. . .
(Read Original >>)
Artist Marsha Robinett explores her feelings as she learns to ask for GUI-DANCE:
The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes kept going back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". (God, "u" and "i" dance.) . . .
(Read Original >>)
Paul Lawrence of Early to Rise teaches us the All-Time Best Way to Get and Keep Customers:
You develop relationships with your customers the same way that you do it in your personal life. In big part, that means caring for them.
Think about the people you consider to be friends. Aren’t they people you genuinely care about - and who seem to genuinely care about you?
(Read Original >>)
Techcrunch points us to the Brooklyn Museum who is letting the crowd curate an exhibition:
These days everyone is a curator. If you talk to any social media entrepreneurs, chances are they will go on and on about how their Website is all about letting people “curate” the Web, whether that’s photos, videos, or news stories. It is usually code for:”Most people are too lazy to actually produce anything, but we let them organize and remix what other people have produced.” Who doesn’t love to remix? . . .
(Read Original >>)
Enjoy the advice from the minds of these insightful commentators. We hope you found something inspirational or useful to your own art career.
Sincerely,
Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic
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This article is reproduced with permission.
Copyright 2007-2008 - Clint Watson.
To get more of Clint Watson's insights into art, marketing, inspiration and fine living, check out his blog at:
FineArtViews Blog by Clint Watson:
http://www.clintwatson.net/blog
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Editor's Note: Each day we republish selected comments and artwork by artists who comment about the previous day's article. If you would like to share your thoughts, artwork and views with thousands of artists and collectors, (not to mention getting a valuable inbound link to your website) be sure to post a comment on today's article at the following link. To be considered, be sure to provide your comment through the link NOT by simply replying to this email. Make sure to comment before the end of the day to be considered for inclusion in tomorrow's newsletter:
Art by Avril Ward
Today's Selected Commenter
http://www.yessy.com/avrilward
YOUR artwork could be pictured here tomorrow
just comment on today's article before midnight,
and your artwork could be in front of thousands of people
tomorrow.*
(*If you a right-click disabler on your images, we will select a different artist to feature, as it is too much trouble to display the image)
Emerge from a Slump, Revisited
Avril Ward Wrote:
Today, I am just starting to see the 'dim light at the begining of the end of the tunnel of my current slump.' (mouthful) This I know, as I went into my studio today for the first time in a month without wanting to scream, I also produced three small paintings in about two hours, delighted with myself I can now look back on how I cope with my painter's block. The first few days I always watch morning TV, movies....the biggest NO NO when I am working, This I think is purely an escape from thinking about what I am not thinking about!Namely my next piece of artwork. I drink to much tea, walk from room to room in my house and keep far away from the studio. A few days later i do things like call friends whom I have neglected and do the lunch thing. I start taking an interest in new ideas for dinner, the biggest obstacle is to stop feeling guilty that I am not being productive. Once I loose the guilt, I give up the TV, start constructive projects around the house that always need doing and before i know it, I feel like facing the door to the studio........
More Comments >>
All Past Issues >>
Convenient links to books recently discussed in FineArtViews:
-- Advertisement --
Don't Get Ripped Off!
Everything You Need to Know (About Copyright) to Protect Your Artwork
Presented by Alyson B. Stanfield and Kevin Houchin
Does the word "copyright" make your ears itch? Or maybe it just puts you to sleep?
Are you confused by copyright laws?
Do you wonder what you should be doing about copyright laws?
Are you frozen to the point of inaction out of fear of having your concepts and images stolen?
The business of art and knowledge of copyright laws go hand in hand, unfortunately many artists are actually operating under several myths that just won’t seem to go away.
Polish up your understanding of how copyright laws affect your business by listening in on arts and entertainment attorney Kevin Houchin for these two 70-minute copyright teleseminars.
This is legal advice that you'd normally pay $200-600 an hour for!
Want more FineArtViews?
Visit Clint's Blog for his latest unconventional thoughts about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living!
http://clintwatson.net/blog
New!
Save Money and Generate Buzz on a Shoestring Budget
In this 50-minute audio, recorded as part of the 2008 smARTist Telesummit, you will learn:
* How other artists are getting creative with their finances, their venues, and their self-promotion
* How you can apply creative promotional ideas from other artists
* 10 principles for generating buzz (why do it? when? how? and some guidelines)
* Why teaming with a nonprofit might be a good idea and how to do it
* Low-cost/no-cost ways to start generating buzz now
* Bonus: You'll hear me respond to the artist who wanted to know how to drive traffic to her Web site and blog
These amazing stories come from a chapter in my book, I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. But they are added to and expanded on. And I walk you through a process to help you come up with ideas for generating your own buzz.
Order now and you'll also recieve this recording:
How to Tap Into Daily Actions to Accomplish Your Goals.
Available on CD or as MP3 download. Includes a transcript of my presentation.
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This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews.com by Clint Watson, a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists, collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art) .
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